Time is the substance I am made of.
Time is a river that sweeps me along, but I am the river;
Time is a tiger that can rip me apart, but I am the tiger;
Time is a fire that can consume me, but I am the fire.
~Jorge Luis Borges

I don’t believe there is any one secret system for everyone to effectively manage all the activities that make up our day.  But I do believe if there is one “secret” to effectively managing our time, it’s the fact that we are time itself.  What we choose to do every minute of the day is a product of ourselves, and hence, a direct reflection of our person and performance.

The quote above serves as an excellent reminder that it is ourselves who can overwhelm our “self” with activities, or streamline production.  In essence, Time Management is Self Management. 

To be successful, we need to get a lot of things done, fast.  Furthermore, the things that we “do” need to be done right (the first time)!  That’s why we need time/self management!  No one is exempt.

Here are a few suggestions to begin developing your unique system to effectively manage yourself:

• Make a list of your biggest dreams:

Seriously, what do you want to do in your lifetime personally and professionally?  Think in terms of life categories: social, physical, mental, career/financial, and spiritual.  Prioritize these “wants” and set S.M.A.R.T (specific, measurable, attainable, realistically high, and trackable) goals to track and measure your progress toward achieving your dreams.

If we don’t spend the time in our life reaching for our dreams, we will be unhappy, guaranteed.  To manage yourself and your time around your goals and dreams is step 1 in effectively managing your time.  To not do so, limits your potential for results.  What is your opportunity cost if you ignore your dreams?

Remember, someone is always willing to tell you what to do with your time.  Make your time yours; helping others with your unique skills and abilities in alignment with your passions and dreams is your time well spent, while serving those around you.

• Include your goal-oriented activities in your daily task list:

First, start using a daily task list.  If you think you’re too busy or important to keep a task list, you are probably feeling overwhelmed, disorganized or are oblivious to the inconvenience you cause others with your mismanagement of time and resources.  Good luck to you!

If you are one of those who is using a daily task list, save a line item for a task that will help you achieve a personal and professional goal everyday.  Do this, and you will undoubtedly achieve your goals.

Take a glance at your task list right now.  Is there anything on there today that serves you and your company in aspiring towards greatness?

• Spend most of your time in production (creating or providing your product/service), sales, and marketing:

I actually had a business owner tell me, “I have plans for marketing, but I’m just too busy to deal with that right now”.  Hold the phone!  None of us should ever be too busy to market our businesses, products and services or ideas on a daily basis!

A valuable insight I learned during a teleseminar hosted by Stephanie Frank, author of “The Accidental Millionaire”, is that 7-figure companies spend most of their time in sales & marketing-related activities, while 6-figure companies spend most of their time in production-related activities.  Those companies earning less than 6 figures were consumed with administration. This logic makes a lot of practical sense.

Take another look at your task list.  Which of your activities are indicative of someone operating or working for a 6- or 7-figure organization?  What is your Sales/Marketing : Production : Administration ratio?  What will your new ratio be?  Start your new activity ratio ASAP and reap improved results!

• When you fall off schedule or task, start over:

The beauty of creating a personalized self/time management system is that it is a “system”.  Systems can be modified, obliterated, and recreated according to need and circumstance.  And a good system can always be resorted to, even if you have a bad day.

I’ve fallen off schedule many times in a week as a result of a distraction or an emergency.  What saved me every time is having a system to go back to, and then picking up where I left off.  Without a system, an interruption or crisis can disrupt your productivity and results for weeks!

A good system consists of key categories according to days of the week, times of the day, etc.  Depending on your job functions, determine the appropriate categories for you, and segment your activities accordingly.  Don’t forget sales, marketing, and production should be integrated throughout!  Even if your role is administrative, you have ideas to sell and personalized products to create and produce.

What is at least one way you can improve your self-management today?

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“We must learn to balance the material wonders of technology with the spiritual demands of our human race.”       ~ John Naisbitt

Management over the last few years has changed dramatically.  The impact of downsizing, M&As and advanced technology take huge tolls on our human capital.  And although technology improves effectiveness, efficiency and success, we cannot allow it to hoard our focus altogether.

Contemporary managers must be proficient in interpersonal skills and human development – applying their people knowledge to catch up with their technical knowledge. As technology improves, change accelerates, and people increasingly need talented managers who can help lead them through this business environment toward improved results.

Today’s workforce demands more from their managers and company. 

The reality is that people desire fulfillment, recognition and appreciation for their achievements at work (as in life).  We want to feel valued and like we are having an impact.  We need to know and understand we are appreciated and respected.  When we do, we perform at our best and generate results – first for ourselves, and then for our manager and company.  Being consumed by technology and change, managers are at risk of forgetting these basic human truths!

Managers need to make for an environment where motivation and inspiration prosper! Here are a few suggestions for managers to apply “people knowledge” and create a prosperous environment alongside technology:

Champion a corporate or team culture. 

A strong culture creates a sense of pride, identity and belonging.  Because most people desire to achieve and accomplish, a company culture fosters positive attitudes and personal performance.  If your company doesn’t have a culture, consider creating a “team culture” for you and your reports to uphold.  Together with your team, identify your core values and your purpose for why you come to work everyday.  This is a great opportunity to demonstrate your leadership to the company and genuinely lead your team.

Understand, support, and discuss your people’s personal and professional goals.

Try as we may to keep our business and personal life separate, we will fail time and again.  Having a job is very personal!  Furthermore, we bring our ‘person’ to work with us everyday. To ignore our personal goals, needs, and desires at work (or pretend to) is absolutely ridiculous.  It works the other way around as well.  If we are unhappy at work, we harbor those feelings and carry them home with us to our friends and families.  Life, in general, does not feel so good.  As human beings our performance at home and at work are lack-luster.

Here is yet another opportunity for effective managers to apply their people knowledge.  Show your people you care about all of their goals as they pertain to their personal and business life.  This will show that you care about them as a person – with unique skills and abilities- and that you value what they uniquely offer the company.  Discuss their progress and learn how you can be of service for helping them achieve their goals.

Provide random, non-monetary rewards for performance

Think about a system you would enjoy implementing to ensure you regularily recognize someone on your team. Be as creative as you like, but simply scheduling a phone call one day per month to recognize one of the people you mange and directly tell them what you valued most about their performance that month will prove a highly effective people strategy.  It will also improve the habit of doing so, and you will do it more often.  Why stop?

There’s nothing like the performance of a happy employee.  If managers don’t have people knowledge or show personal leadership to apply it, they simply aren’t going to be effective at getting results for the company.  They are not managers at all.

Technology aside, don’t forget the people!

What mechanisms have you put into place to apply people knowledge for improved results in your company?

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